You are here:   Forums
Register   |  Login
Share the Love!
Show your support for Birdline UK with one of our Birdline Car Window Stickers!
Why not join Birdline? Membership is £25 a year and helps us continue our essential work. Join here now !

 

   Urgent Appeal  

We currently have an urgent appeal for safe houses that can take on some special needs birds. Think you can help? Please see this forum post for more information.

  
Ecki friend???
Last Post 11-03-2011 02:15 PM by Arfbell. 8 Replies.
Printer Friendly
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
Sort:
PrevPrev NextNext
You are not authorized to post a reply.
Author Messages
LesleyG
Birdline Director

Veteran Forum Member
Veteran Forum Member
Posts:1755

Avatar
Location: Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border

Send Private Message


--
07-07-2010 11:39 AM

Ok....I have a male Ecki whom I love to bits!

My question is: should I try to get him a friend? I have this belief that a bird deserves a friend like itself hence I now have 2 B&G Macaws, will hopefully one day find a grey that Ollie will befriend and I would like to get another Ecki if possible.

IF>>>>>>I get another Ecki, I don't mind if it's male or female, I know the females are dominant and can be aggressive too, would 2 males get on ok or should I look for a female? I also read that due to the nature of the females it would be unlikely they would breed which is good as this is the last thing I would want!

Any advice please???

------
It's only through understanding the normal can you better understand the abnormal.....
Mandy
Registered Users

Veteran Forum Member
Veteran Forum Member
Posts:1563

Avatar
Location: West Bromwich

Send Private Message


--
07-07-2010 11:52 AM

 Without bursting your bubble, female in the prescence of a male is probably more likely to want to mate! Female ekkies are like a different breed, my vet once told me their one life mission is to breed - Something they will try to do at every opportunity, and when they cant, they just lay.  When the lay they rip a lot of feathers out to line the nest with, hence why most female ekkies over the age of 4-5 are plucked! If you can get one to old age without plucking you have done well!  Personally I would go for another male, but of course the same rules apply as with other breeds, they may not get on 

------
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/Mandyd1975/
LesleyG
Birdline Director

Veteran Forum Member
Veteran Forum Member
Posts:1755

Avatar
Location: Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border

Send Private Message


--
07-07-2010 11:57 AM
Oooohhh.....interesting Mandy! Glad I asked. In fact I have only known 2 females and yes, they are both plucked!! And one lays eggs!
------
It's only through understanding the normal can you better understand the abnormal.....
Mandy
Registered Users

Veteran Forum Member
Veteran Forum Member
Posts:1563

Avatar
Location: West Bromwich

Send Private Message


--
07-07-2010 12:37 PM

  What mt vet told us was so very true when I sat and thought about it.  Females are also quite feisty!  Lot less laid back than the males.

------
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/Mandyd1975/
picowitch
ACO

Veteran Forum Member
Veteran Forum Member
Posts:1053

Avatar
Location: central scotland

Send Private Message


--
08-07-2010 06:03 AM
my female eckie is desperate to be a mummy and thats without the presence of a male. she lays every year and will sit on anything remotely egg shaped so yes I think with a male present they would want to breed. They also tend to have breeding urges on and off rather than a specific time of year - and i would agree with the plucking thing too as candi when broody will not use any material except bits of her own feathers...fortunately she restricts it to snipping her flight feathers so you cant really see it.
------
Steve
Registered Users

Veteran Forum Member
Veteran Forum Member
Posts:1799

Avatar
Location: Birmingham

Send Private Message


--
08-07-2010 06:44 AM
Lesley you could always get him a friend and keep them sleeping apart but on the other hand you mite find one and he dont like her!!
------
LesleyG
Birdline Director

Veteran Forum Member
Veteran Forum Member
Posts:1755

Avatar
Location: Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border

Send Private Message


--
08-07-2010 11:42 AM
Mmmmmm, I think it would be torture to have male and female and not let them be together but I don't want to risk them mating either. Would 2 males be ok together???
------
It's only through understanding the normal can you better understand the abnormal.....
Mandy
Registered Users

Veteran Forum Member
Veteran Forum Member
Posts:1563

Avatar
Location: West Bromwich

Send Private Message


--
08-07-2010 12:07 PM

 I think two males might be the better option, ekkies are such tricky birds at the best of times! 

------
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b324/Mandyd1975/
Arfbell
Birdline Member

New Forum Member
New Forum Member
Posts:17


Location: The wee county

Send Private Message


--
11-03-2011 02:15 PM
I had a male ekkie for almost 4 yrs before i decided to get him a mate. After reading about their behaviour i decided to get a young female that wouldn,t walk all over him.... yeh right she wasn,t out the carrier when he was strutting round saying hello!!
The females are defo more dominant and it is well documented that after getting the birds to bond and mate,it is far more difficult to get them to stop reproducing once they start, with unscrupulous breeders keeping the female on eggs until it is burnt out
------
You are not authorized to post a reply.

Active Forums 4.3